


Sent from Heaven

by Frasers_soulmate



Category: due South
Genre: Caretaking, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Inuit Character, Loss of Parent(s), Love, Mother Love, Mystery, Other, Protectiveness, Spirit Animals, Spirits, Wolves, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:42:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21979018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frasers_soulmate/pseuds/Frasers_soulmate
Summary: Caroline Fraser is watching her son from heaven and decided that he needs a protector because he can't take care of himself.So she asked someone unexpected.
Comments: 13
Kudos: 12





	Sent from Heaven

**Author's Note:**

> Watching the pilot of Due South, this idea struck me when Ben told Ray the story about Diefs hearing loss and I fell in love with this plot.  
> I had to write it down immediately.
> 
> It just has to be something special between Ben and Dief.
> 
> Atka is the guardian of the Eskimo (Inuit) child. It/she/he is the soul of the last family member who died.
> 
> I would love to read your opinion on this story.
> 
> Thank you kindly.

Sent from heaven

She had been watching him for years and, with growing concern, noticed that as he got older he became less and less careful.

There was the accident with the dog sled when he was nine years old, in which he broke his arm and almost froze to death if the grandfather hadn't found him in time.

At the age of sixteen he fell off the snowmobile and broke his left leg. He broke the same leg a year ago when he fell off a cliff.

Good thing Robert was with him and could get him to safety.

He was always doing something careless.

Now he was on his own, patrolling a huge area, without a partner.

He didn't want one. Nobody really got along with him, even if he was such a nice boy, loyal, dutiful and honest.

He needed someone to take care of him, because apparently he couldn't do it himself.

It made her sad that she had never been able to raise him.

How she would have liked to spend more time with him.

His grandparents had done everything they could, but now the boy was grown up and going his own way.

She sensed the reason for his ruthlessness towards himself. Lack of love and affection.

He had never learned that.

His grandparents loved him, but rarely showed it to him.

He should be tough out here in the wilderness. Without a mother and with a father who was hardly at home.

She had to come up with something to protect him.

He needed someone by his side who was there for him, who was loyal and didn't ask questions, accepted him as he was, with all his quirks.

She smiled when she thought that he had been like that already as a little boy. Curious, brave and always straightforward.

And she was sorry he hadn't spent more time with his father.

Oh Robert! He would have needed you. Still needs you ...

**********

One day it happened again. Her boy had fallen into a shaft that served as a bear trap.

How could that happen to him?

Otherwise he was so clever.

Why had he overlooked the trap?

Maybe he was too tired and therefore inattentive?

He had been on the road far too long.

She looked down at him.

He had passed out and if he didn't get help as soon as possible he would freeze to death. Because even though it was already mid-May, it was still quite cold out there in the wilderness of the Northwest Territories.

**********

With a heavy heart she went to Amaruq, the Great Spirit of the wolves.

He would be able to help her, since her boy was born in the moon of the wolf and the wolf was his spirit animal.

"Great Amaruq," she said, "I need your help."

"What is it about, my daughter?" Asked the old wolf, and the wisdom of an ancient life flashed in his yellow eyes.

"I don't need the help for myself, but for my boy. Benton. He's such a nice boy, always there for everyone, but unfortunately he can't take care of himself and I'm afraid that at some point it will be his undoing."

"What can I do?" Asked the Great, Old.

"He needs someone to take care of him. A protector. But he's hard on other people. He's a loner."

The old wolf considered.

Then he said, "Show me your son."

She pointed to the shaft where her boy lay unconscious and sighed.

"He was careless again, Great Amaruq," she complained, "and if nobody finds him, he won't survive."

"I know him," replied Amaruq, "he is kind and helpful to all living beings. Last year he freed one of my children from a trap and saved his life."

She smiled.

"Yes, this is my Ben. As a child, when I was still allowed to be with him, he helped all animals. He kept coming home with sick or injured animals and nursing them healthy. And if they didn't make it, he was heartbroken for weeks. "

Amaruq nodded wisely.

"I know how we can help him. I send him Atka.  
He is still very young, but so is your son. They can get older together."

"Atka," she whispered. It's good.

Amaruq called Atka and said: "Son, it is now time for you to go to earth and do your job. You know that your name, Atka, means the protector of the Inuit child. The soul of the last deceased family member of the boy whom you are supposed to protect will live in you.   
And this is that woman here.   
Caroline.   
The boy's mother.   
His name is Benton.   
He's not an Inuit, but he grew up with our tribe and has always treated our people, human and animal, with respect and benevolence.

He and his mother here always had an open mind and learned a lot about the old traditions of our tribe.

Benton will not know who you are, so he will give you a different name, but he will be a loyal and good friend to you. And you will be a loyal and good friend to him.

Protect him as long as you can, Atka.

Good luck."

And thus Atka, the protector of the Inuit child, was sent to Benton on earth to help him out of the bear trap and to be a loyal and good friend.

Caroline was happy about it and thanked Amaruq, the Ancient Spirit of the wolves, because she knew that her journey wasn't over yet and it would be a long time before she could hug her son again.

But time no longer mattered to her.

TYK


End file.
